A School Concept Developed from Experience with Early & Middle Colleges

 Dr. John Eldridge has led Chatham Charter School for the past 10 years after serving as a regional superintendent in Guilford County Schools and a principal in Chatham County Schools. With the creation of Central Carolina Academy, Dr. Eldridge is the Superintendent of both schools.

Thirty years of experience in education has afforded me the opportunity to work in some innovative systems. While working in Guilford County I was stunned to see the number of early and middle college students earning enough college credits to be considered a sophomore in college. When I was given the opportunity in 2012 to return to Chatham County to create a high school expansion at Chatham Charter, my most important goal was to give the students in our rural community the same opportunities the students in larger systems were given with regard to higher levels of rigor and to experience life at the college level. In my humble opinion, students will rise to whatever we expect of them. Since the high school at Chatham Charter opened in 2013, course failures are rare and students are well prepared to take college classes beginning in the junior year. Upperclassmen are earning an average of 35 transferable credits by the time they graduate. Additionally, we have added Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways that lead students to earning certifications for skilled jobs. Our collegiate partner, Central Carolina Community College, has been instrumental in helping our school evolve and add new opportunities to meet the needs of not only our students, but the community as a whole.

Now it’s time to replicate this work in Sanford at Central Carolina Academy. We have found a great location for the school and a proven leader in Greg Batten to lead the staff and students to new and exciting opportunities. My central services staff is working with Mr. Batten and leadership at CCCC to prepare students for the Career and College Promise pathways in both the College Transfer and CTE programs. What makes Sanford such an exciting place for this venture is the number of businesses that are hungry for highly qualified workers to come in and fill open positions. Our goal is to not only replicate the success of Chatham Charter, but to add to that success by helping local businesses meet their staffing needs. We also are excited to see our CCA students graduate, go on to two- and four-year colleges and build on the experiences they gained while attending our school. I very much look forward to working with the students, staff, families and community members. Let’s Go, Soaring Eagles!